


Say When

by peacefulboo



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DCU
Genre: Body Trauma, Goodbyes, Tropes all over the place
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-11
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2018-01-12 00:20:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1179665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peacefulboo/pseuds/peacefulboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She never planned on leaving Starling City like this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Say When

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a series of related fic published as I have time. I hope it work for you. Note, that body trauma is a big part of this series but it’s not the only thing that will be focused on. If at any time you feel the need to discuss my portrayal of the situation here in, please feel free to drop me a line. All feedback is accepted and most is appreciated, though flame-y flames will, as usual, be used to keep my freezing house warm and toasty.

She never planned on leaving Starling City like this. 

That's a lie. The plan had always been to work her way up to a certain point at Queen Consolidated and then head back East and win the tech world over with a firm closer to home where she could occasionally see her brother's kids and be a part of her sister's life and maybe eventually settle in with a partner and a dog and maybe a kid or two of her own. 

But that had changed. And she thought that had changed for good. She spent a few years with a different dream and different hopes and with really fucking different priorities. And she dug the work she did. Not he EA stuff. That was horrific and humiliating and completely out of her skill set. But the night work. The work with the Arrow was all adrenalin rush and high stakes and she fell head over heals in love with that life. She was important to the safety of Starling City. And she basked in that. 

And she was important to Oliver. And she loved that, too. 

But somewhere along the line the joy of rounding up baddies at night quit making up for the drudgery of her day job. And then somewhere else along the line she got caught in the crossfire one too many times and now she has to deal with the consequences every day. 

And damnit if it isn't a game changer. 

“What time do you take off?” Diggle asks as he stacks one of the last boxes along the hallway. Both Diggle and Sara have been helping her pack for the past week and she is insanely grateful. Sure, she could let the movers do it, but she likes her stuff and is a little creeped out by the idea of strangers handling it. 

She tries not to think about how much it is going to suck be to unpack by herself. 

“The movers should be here at 8 in morning. I figure we'll be on the road by 9.” Felicity looks up at him from where she's been scrubbing the baseboards in the living room and takes a long pull from her beer. She sighs when she looks around and sees there's still there rest of the apartment to clean. 

“Do you want a send off or is this where I tell you to take care of yourself?” Diggle asks as he reaches out a hand to help her up off the floor. She doesn't need it, but even now, almost a year later, she's still a little clumsy with her new leg. 

She clenches her teeth to stop the tears already welling up. “I'm gonna leave that decision up to you.”

“We'll be here, then.” 

“If you're not, no worries, Dig. I know how nights in the Glades can go.” She gives him – them – an out. Oliver hasn't talked to her since she told him she was done. She doesn't blame him. Except for how she does. 

“We'll bring breakfast.” He smiles brightly at her. 

“Okay.” She goes in to hug him, this time allowing few tears that do slip out. Better now than in the morning with an audience. She is as sure of her decision to leave this city as she can be, but leaving her friend, this man who always had her back, was proving to be a little more difficult than she had expected. She'll admit that she is ashamed of how little she had appreciated Diggle's quiet strength and scathing wit. But she knows now and she will miss him. 

“Get some sleep,” he tells her. She knows that he knows that she won't. Doesn't stop him from hoping she will this time. 

Felicity snorts in response. “I will if you will.”

Diggle nods and closes the door behind him. 

Felicity is up by dawn the next morning and slowly climbs down the stairs to buy a box of donuts for the movers at the little store on the corner of her block. All the activity the day before has her upper thigh throbbing with pain and she doubts she'll be able to get through the day without a little help. The day's drive to her first stop is going to be agonizing. 

The movers are at her door when she gets back, and seem to appreciate the donuts and coffee she has for them. They make quick work of the boxes and furniture and they're on their way even earlier than she predicted. 

Diggle and Sara show up soon after the movers are gone, burritos and juice in hand. Felicity takes hers with a smile and they all eat standing around her kitchen counter. There isn't much left to say but the silence is companionable and easy. 

“All that's left to pack is my coffee pot and my bags for the trip,” Felicity answers when Diggle asks if she's ready to go. The three of them make their way down to the car, Diggle and Sara packing it up as Felicity stops by her landlord's apartment to drop off the keys. 

There's an extra duffle bag on the sidewalk and Felicity looks at it suspiciously. 

“I figured you might want some company for the road. I'll drive first?” Sara offers and Felicity takes a second to look at her intently before nodding. She'll miss Sara. She's never been a very stable presence in their lives, but she's been an easy companion when she is around. Felicity had planned to take the drive to get her head in gear but she's willing to give up that time on her own for a little more time with a friend. 

Sara climbs into the driver's seat and Felicity turns to Diggle one more time, “Thank you. For everything.”

“It's been a pleasure. Text me at each of your stops.”

“Will do.” She hugs him tight, “Take care, yeah?” 

“Of course. Now get in the car. It's freezing out here.” 

She laughs and hugs him tight once again before turning toward the car. 

Felicity isn't sure if she was supposed to see him or not, but she does. Oliver is leaning against his bike across the street. She stills for a second, just staring at him. His gaze is intense, almost angry, but she's gotten used to that look. She realizes quickly that he's not moving from his spot. So she nods in acknowledgment, gives her best smile and a tiny wave, before sliding into the passenger seat. If he responds, she doesn't see it. 

“Ready?” Sara asks as she puts the car in drive. If she saw the exchange, she doesn't comment. 

“Yup.” And she is ready. She's ready to work in her field again. She's ready to challenge herself mentally, without the weight of someone's life hanging over her head. Hell, she's even ready to meet a guy and have a crush and get a little drunk and maybe sleep with someone. 

And though she fled the city like so many others a decade or so back, Felicity is ready to go back home to Gotham.


End file.
